Stryker Phd Faces Everton in Berkeley 'Cap

Mona Hour's Longacres Mile (gr. III) winner Stryker Phd heads a group of nine entered for the $100,000 Berkeley Handicap (gr. III) Nov. 30 at Golden Gate Fields, looking to return to the winning ways that saw him take three stakes in a row this summer at Emerald Downs.

The 5-year-old Bertrando gelding was a good second by half a length last time out to Regally Ready Oct. 30 in the Big Bear Stakes at Santa Anita Park, his first start at a track other than Golden Gate or Emerald. Last year he was fifth and last of all in the Berkeley before going to the sidelines for a lengthy rest. Returning this June, he strung together the trio of victories at Emerald capped by his first graded score in the $200,000 Longacres Mile.   

Trained by Larry Ross, Washington-bred Stryker Phd has finished in the money in 14 of his 17 career starts for earnings of $308,651. He drew the rail and will be ridden by jockey Leslie Mawing as the 122-pound highweight.

Going up against Stryker Phd, who is 2-1 on the morning line, is Kaleem Shah's Everton, a 5-year-old son of Indian Charlie making his graded stakes debut. Trained by Hall of Fame horseman Bob Baffert, Everton won an Oct. 3 allowance at the Berkeley distance of 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita while coming back from a year layoff. He has taken three of five starts, all in Southern California, and departs post 3 under local legend Russell Baze. Everton, at 115 pounds, is 5-2 on the morning line.

Four-time stakes winner Mr. Bowling comes into this spot from the barn of Troy Taylor. A career earner of $351,946 and winner of the 2012 Lecomte Stakes (gr. III), the 5-year-old Istan runner placed second in a one-mile allowance race at Golden Gate Nov. 13, three-quarters of a length behind winner and fellow Berkeley contender G. G. Ryder and a head in front of another Berkeley rival, third-place finisher Pepper Crown. 

Pepper Crown, an Alex Paszkeicz trainee, is seeking his third stakes win at Golden Gate this year. The 4-year-old son of Peppered Cat has seven victories in 17 lifetime starts, and won the San Francisco Mile (gr. III) in April and the Rolling Green Stakes in September.

Another of interest is Loooch Racing Stable's Bellarmine, who continues his quest for a graded score but must rebound from finishing 10th in the Oct. 31 Damascus Stakes at Santa Anita for trainer Robert B. Hess Jr.